The Food Safety and Quality Authority (FSQA), is dismayed by the widespread speculations about the presence of contaminated ‘dana rice’ in the country, and wishes to dismiss the rumors as false.
The Authority made inquiries to ascertain the veracity of this information and found out, that this rumor mill emanated from a particular Trinidadian Facebook page in Trinidad and Tobago and has nothing to do with the Gambia. Nonetheless, the news was imported and circulated on local mainstream media by certain habitual fault-finders to cause panic.
FSQA, urges these forces to desist from peddling such demeaning and unconfirmed pieces of information on the public domain to cause unnecessary alarm. It also calls on all and sundry, to not hesitate to make inquiries about such rumors before sharing them to the public.
The public is hereby urged to be wary of these and other speculative information by looking out for specific details whenever they are published. For instance, the type of contaminants mentioned (if there is any), how the product arrive into the country, where it can be found, who brought it in country, as was in the case of this rumored contaminated rice.
Be reminded that our hardworking inspectors along the main entry points will remain vigilant and make sure no stone is left unturned, when it comes to confiscating unwholesome products like these.
Furthermore, the public is by this release, urged to remain calm and be assured of our unalloyed resolve to keep the country free from contaminated products.
Finally, the Authority also wishes to bring the attention of the business community, about certain individuals who go round to sell registration certificates at various prices to them, this is a fraudulent act which is punishable by law.
FSQA shall remain vigilant over this and any other food issue.
FSQA can be contacted on 4466797 or on E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected], better still; you can visit us at our main office in Kotu East for more information.
Press Release, Food Safety and Quality Authority
26th June 2018.
